The New Iloilo City Hall

After a long long time of discussions and a thorough planning stage (including maneuvering controversies), the ground breaking of the new Iloilo City Hall has taken place before Mayor Jerry Trenas (now Congressman-elect) exits.

Currently the Iloilo City Government is housed at the 3rd floor of Robinsons Place Iloilo after it has vacated the centuries-old City Hall building in Plaza Libertad for demolition. The Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Council) and the office of the Vice Mayor are at the 2nd floor of the Iloilo Terminal Market Building (Supermarket).

Iloilo City made a record as the only highly urbanized city in the Philippines without a decent seat of the City Government.

The New Iloilo City Hall Rendering

With the construction of the 7-storey City Hall Building, Iloilo City will finally have an identity and a landmark to distinguish the authorities of this city. The new Iloilo City Hall is currently being constructed at its old location beside Plaza Libertad. W.V. Coscolluela and Associates made the masterplan of the building and F.F. Cruz & Co. Inc. is the contractor.

I was hoping that we retained the old city and move the new structure as heard, on the old Iloilo Airport. It was reportedly being offered by the Megaworld and they planned to help the city financially to construct the same.

We could have retained our heritage structures, retrofit it and allow it to be used for other government or cultural offices. Had we transferred the new city hall and constructed it at the same time Bacolod did theirs, it could save us a lot of money from inflation, retain our Ilongo heritage/history, help decongest the city.

Nevertheless since it is there, perhaps what we do is to try not to destroy the other old yet stately structures found in the Iloilo Golden Mile.

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